Traditional beef breeds have backboned calf sales across the country since early March, but there was a turn-up for the books as they slipped into second place in Carnew Mart on Friday last.
Continental-sired calves edged ahead of them at the Co Wicklow mart.
Over 90% of what was on offer were beef-crosses and across the beef breeds, any good strong bull calf was making €400 to €550 for most of them and we had a top price of €880 for a Charolais-cross.
Trade was similar for the heifers – they were mainly making €350 to €500 and topping out at €630.
A small number of lighter calves sold for close to and under the €200 mark as well.
Mart manager David Quinn felt some of that beef influence in this sale was a carryover from farmers who converted from sucklers to dairy.
Following the sale, he said: “A lot of good suckler farmers in the area converted to dairy and they’d still want to breed a good beef calf, so that’s what’s probably driving that.
“We’ve had a good share of beef calves all year and a lot of continentals every week and the one thing that has been noticeable this year has been the quality of calf has been much better.
“Farmers have been keeping them that bit longer and they’re being rewarded for that now.
“I think they saw the trade was improving and, along with the weather being so good, they were less stressed and were able to give more time to their calves as a result.”
Off the scale
Calf quality isn’t the only difference compared to other years.
“Prices have been off the Richter scale. We’ve had big numbers, but it’s been a pleasurable spring working here and selling them.
“We’re after [having] a number of years where you had calves left over after a sale and you were trying to get them sold, but between trade and quality that has now gone by.
“I’d like to see demand remaining as strong and farmers continue to show the calf like they have been this spring, as it makes everyone’s job so much easier.”
Friesian calves were available in very limited numbers this week, but were more plentiful earlier in the season.
“Good Friesians are trading at €180 to €330 and that has been since March.
“It’s risen by €100/head, whereas last year they were €60 to €70 and now they’ve made €150 to €200.
“There have been days this spring when we sold one-month-old Friesians for up around the mid-€300 mark,” he added.
Friday calf sales in Carnew Mart will continue to the end of May and revert to Saturdays and the general cattle sale after that.
This six-week-old Angus-cross bull sold for €630.
These one-month-old Aubrac-cross heifers sold for €670.
These three-week-old Limousin-cross bulls sold for €560.
This one-month-old Charolais-cross bull sold for €880.
This nine-week-old Angus-cross bull sold for €700.
These six-week-old Angus-cross bulls sold for €560.
These seven-week-old Hereford-cross bulls sold for €595.
This one-month-old Angus-cross bull sold for €520.
Traditional beef breeds have backboned calf sales across the country since early March, but there was a turn-up for the books as they slipped into second place in Carnew Mart on Friday last.
Continental-sired calves edged ahead of them at the Co Wicklow mart.
Over 90% of what was on offer were beef-crosses and across the beef breeds, any good strong bull calf was making €400 to €550 for most of them and we had a top price of €880 for a Charolais-cross.
Trade was similar for the heifers – they were mainly making €350 to €500 and topping out at €630.
A small number of lighter calves sold for close to and under the €200 mark as well.
Mart manager David Quinn felt some of that beef influence in this sale was a carryover from farmers who converted from sucklers to dairy.
Following the sale, he said: “A lot of good suckler farmers in the area converted to dairy and they’d still want to breed a good beef calf, so that’s what’s probably driving that.
“We’ve had a good share of beef calves all year and a lot of continentals every week and the one thing that has been noticeable this year has been the quality of calf has been much better.
“Farmers have been keeping them that bit longer and they’re being rewarded for that now.
“I think they saw the trade was improving and, along with the weather being so good, they were less stressed and were able to give more time to their calves as a result.”
Off the scale
Calf quality isn’t the only difference compared to other years.
“Prices have been off the Richter scale. We’ve had big numbers, but it’s been a pleasurable spring working here and selling them.
“We’re after [having] a number of years where you had calves left over after a sale and you were trying to get them sold, but between trade and quality that has now gone by.
“I’d like to see demand remaining as strong and farmers continue to show the calf like they have been this spring, as it makes everyone’s job so much easier.”
Friesian calves were available in very limited numbers this week, but were more plentiful earlier in the season.
“Good Friesians are trading at €180 to €330 and that has been since March.
“It’s risen by €100/head, whereas last year they were €60 to €70 and now they’ve made €150 to €200.
“There have been days this spring when we sold one-month-old Friesians for up around the mid-€300 mark,” he added.
Friday calf sales in Carnew Mart will continue to the end of May and revert to Saturdays and the general cattle sale after that.
This six-week-old Angus-cross bull sold for €630.
These one-month-old Aubrac-cross heifers sold for €670.
These three-week-old Limousin-cross bulls sold for €560.
This one-month-old Charolais-cross bull sold for €880.
This nine-week-old Angus-cross bull sold for €700.
These six-week-old Angus-cross bulls sold for €560.
These seven-week-old Hereford-cross bulls sold for €595.
This one-month-old Angus-cross bull sold for €520.
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